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THE F^ED FLJIG; 



OR, 



COMMUNISM, 



YIZ. 



SOCIALISM. 



SOMETHING FOR THE PEOPLE. 



BY U. Z'BERG. 



s-n 



DEDICATED TO V>., /W* 



Llighte, fpsgpesg mi iumaMtef 



ST. LOUIS, MO. 
1886. 



Ht 

•1 

Z2> 



@ 



Copyrighted— All Rights Reserved. 



MS 



Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, 

Truth, Justice and 

Moderation 

-*ott:r, motto.4 



i. 

On the 21st of May, 1886, the following was written 
and sent to the editor of the Missouri Republican, St. 
Louis, Mo.: "Please answer next Wednesday, to settle a 
dispute, the following questions : What does the Amer- 
ican Red Cross Association mean? Is it an Interna- 
tional Association? If so, when and where was it 
started? Is that country a conquering nation? What 
color has the flag of that nation ? Is it true that nations 
can slaughter people by the thousands, in a legitimate 
way ? " 

The answer on May 26 was as follows : 
"The Red Cross Association is an international organ- 
ization of mercy, devoted chiefly to relief of human 



— 2— 

suffering in epidemic, in hospitals, on battle-fields, and 
in such, calamitous visitations as earthquakes, inunda- 
tions and conflagrations. Its headquarters, we believe, 
are in Geneva, Switzerland, with branches in all the 
large cities of Europe and the United States. There is 
one in St. Louis. It is a voluntary association of per- 
sons, and is in no degree responsible for the wars and 
oppressive policy of the country in which it operates. 
Yes, it is true that a nation can slaughter people by the 
thousands, in a legitimate way ; the legitimate way 
being that prescribed by the law of nations, which, in 
this respect, are at variance with the law of love and 
good will given by Jesus Christ." 



II. 



The Missouri Republican of May 8, 1886, quotes from 
the New York Star : "We beg our working people to 
remember the sad lesson which history teaches on all 
its crimsoned pages, that violence is an enemy to 
industry, and that labor can not live by the sword" — 
which is false and true ; like a dagger, cuts on both 
sides, having both edges sharpened. 

Now, how about all the great conquerors, from Tam- 
erlane, Cyrus, Alexander the Great, and Mahomet, 
down to our time of Generals like Moltke and Wolseley 3 
The last one, made a Lord of England, I believe, by Her 
Gracious Majesty Victoria, now Queen of the Christian 
English nation, also possessor of a most valuable gem 
called something like Kai-na-ourn — the writer not being 



—3— 

a Hindoo sanscript. Said gem was made a present, I sup- 
pose, to Her Christian Majesty, according to reports. 
In London, the great metropolis of the world, there also 
meets to legislate for the welfare of nations a privi- 
leged class of noble Lords — some raised to that distinc- 
tion by Her Majesty, the Queen of England, who 
conquered India with the pen, I presume, and now tries 
to pacify and prove her philanthropy on said conquered 
people by imposing on them Christian missionaries and 
their true interpretation of the Holy Bible. 



III. 



On the same page of the Missouri Republican one 
can read in an editorial headed " The Theory and 
Practice of Assassination," the following words : "The 
old man of the mountain, first exponent of their doc- 
trine," the occasion for writing the above heading and 
words being the fair representation of facts by an old 
reliable, truth-loving, independent and manly editor. 

The reason for writing to the editor the questions 
mentioned at the beginning of this work was the edi- 
tor's vituperation against the red flag in, as the writer 
thought and felt, a very unjust way, as facts show ; and 
as the experience of the writer with some daily paper as 
disseminator of truth can be proved, he had to have re- 
course to this mode of publication for the sake of justice, 
and for a cause not well understood by the people. But 
it seems purposely misrepresented by demagogues and 
so-called preservers of peace, good morals and virtue, 
and that in spite and with disregard of our constitution, 



— 4— 



that intellectual master-piece of great minds, and a 
light of the world for all mankind indeed. 



IV. 



Here we will reprint what is to be found in the Mis- 
souri Republican of May 24th, 1886 : 

The Missouri Republican in its issue of the 13th inst. had a splendid 
article, setting forth the facts that the laws against violence and dis- 
turbance of the public peace had not been enforced in the court of 
criminal correction of St. Louis ; that men charged with blowing up 
street cars, and whom everybody believes to have been guilty, have 
been dismissed on nolle prosequies entered by the city attorney, and 
that Anarchists, who held two meetings in St. Louis the Sunday before, 
and who resolved to throw bombs whenever they felt so disposed, were 
still at liberty, and the law of the State is not attempted to be enforced 
against them by the police board of St. Louis. All these omissions of 
duty the Republican justly pronounces shameful, and says that the public 
officer sworn to enforce the law who fails in such a case as this is 
worthy of all approbrium. The article in question is timely, to the 
point, and has met the hearty indorsement of all the good people of the 
whole country. Our officers need to do their duty. Anarchy must be 
blotted out in this country. The red flas^, the emblem of revolution, of 
blood and of murder, must be torn down by the officers of the law, and 
the men who attempt to defend it ought to be shot down under the 
sanction of the law. There should be no parleying with outlaws, no 
temporizing with traitors, and no remonstrance with robbers, and no 
mercy shown to murderers. — [Pike County Democrat 



V. 



And that is the way, it seems, the writer and the re- 
printer indorse right, justice and constitution. But, 
after all, they are like ordinary mortals. They would 



rather be with the stronger party, with big cannons, 
gatling guns and a big bank account. 

The writer of this, who does not make a living with 
the pen, or his mouth, nor with the sword, who never 
had one hour of lesson or schooling in this language — 
consequently is no literary fellow — who was not born 
or raised in the slums of large cities of Europe, but had a 
smell of the slums of large cities on this continent. 
Where majorities are given, as well as in legislature, 
as a practical proof of popular vote to decide who are 
the select ones of the numerous willing patriots chosen 
by popular will, who are only induced to sacrifice their 
domestic happiness, peace of mind, and maybe many 
thousands of a private fortune to keep up the dignity of 
the nation among the foreign representatives at Wash- 
ington — all for the good of the people or, at least, their 
constituents, if they are enabled to secure a big 
appropriation. 



VI. 



They will also, as wise solons, make laws to solve a 
great problem now confronting this country, not to say 
many nations, this problem being the social question, 
which a distinguished class of purists call anarchy, the 
bete noir and nightmare of many reporters and editors 
now, and by and by of stump speakers. One great 
social question — black slavery ; nay, worse, often their 
own blood slavery — having been decided by or with the 
sword since the writer has learned to read the happen- 
ings in this world, that great question — slavery — has 



— 6— 

been decided or solved in this nineteenth century, and 
by more than one hundred thousand men's lives, and at 
a cost of millions of dollars of money. Also, has sad- 
led a debt on the country which may have been a source 
of wealth to an energetic and enterprising financier and 
founder of national banks. 



YII. 



Treason, if not atoned for, has by recent events in 
this land certainly ceased to be odious in the eyes of 
some enthusiastic patriot, surely born on this soil, who 
never raised the red nag. 

Oar stern Senators and Members of Congress may 
make all the fiery speeches a great patriot is capable of, 
if only to frighten his dull and sleepy opponent on the 
other side ; and, perhaps, make a record for the future, 
without becoming a revolutionist. And a chaplain may 
also send up in his prayer an appeal to divinity to 

plead for mercy for our wicked , and humbly 

pray the Almighty to stay his wrath, which he generally 
sends unexpected, like a cyclone. Besides the Great 
Objector, there is a good sized fire extinguisher in the 
Congressional Record for such fire-brands — thus, the 
country can rest in peace. But how about these foreign 
born — aye, and some natives, too — orators calling them- 
selves socialists or communists. The writer of this is 
himself a socialist, who believes in justice and people's 
rights ; first, according to our constitution and a free 
country — equitable laws for all, rich or poor. But I see 
some pedant would rather have law and order first, and 



justice and constitution, maybe, after; that is, if one 
has money enough to fight it through a solid phalanx of 
legal talent. Justice and people's right, we claim, 
against gatling gun and cannon in the hands of hiearchy 
and monarchy — twins of iniquity. 



VIII. 

Now, the writer of this thinks he is only doing his 
duty toward mankind to write thus, before using any 
other means, and to call out to the people from his 
humble home, like the Mahometan from his minaret. 
That day is dawning, and darkness is waning. 



IX. 



There are many ways of making an honest living in 
this world. Among others, that of editing a newspaper, 
and lecturing on certain topics. And, as a matter of 
opinion, others may include using the sword as an argu- 
ment, watering railroad stock, preaching to empty 
benches, or selling plenary indulgences. These last- 
named businesses are, generally, not considered by 
thinkers as indispensable to human life's happiness in 
this world, not more than too free indulgence in the 
wine bowl. Although the one may give new vigor to 
.an overworked body and cheer some depressed mind, 
the other may also be ornamental to our civilized and 
fashionable age. 



— 8— 



X. 



Some progressive argument, like cannon, gatling gun 
and bombs, of our so-called civilization must, indeed, 
strike the observer as being very effective. It is, indeed, 
to be regretted that any party had to resort to such ex- 
treme means. A true socialist will only ask a fair show 
in the battle of life ; but if he has to fight for the di- 
vision of the last bone to sustain life, what then ? Shall 
natural law of the death of the weaker one follow ( I 
would say, hold on ; better try the last American de- 
vice. What is it? Arbitration. See last section. No 
strike or boycott will answer the purpose, for some one 
will retaliate. Nay, but you can draw lots, and the 
loser may — well, go to the promised happy hunting 
grounds. 



XL 



It is a matter of doubt with some men whether the 
humanitarian who reversed the old principle of tooth for 
tooth did really succeed in his mission of love and good 
will to all men; for it is contended by others that, at 
the command of selfish man, and for vain glory in the 
name of so-called religion, they have burned men and 
women at the stake ; they have waged great wars and 
fought sanguinary battles — nay, have also committed 
other atrocious deeds that make a stout heart shudder 
to read about them. And what for, all this slaughter, 
persecution, hatred and untold human suffering ? Oh I 



—9— 

some kind of religion had to be inflicted on some people, 
nolens volens. 



XII. 



Socialism, like its founder, believes in universal 
brotherhood of all nations, all people, no matter what 
color — all are welcome. It is, like the founder of it 
wished it to be, a voluntary brotherhood. No coercion 
is used to make any one join it against his free will ; 
and if some demagogue says he can not join it because 
he thinks the heathen Chinese must go — well, he may 
stay out. He will, though, in all probability, contribute 
to the missionary fund to convert the heathen to be- 
come a member of his infallible spiritual advisor's 
family, and thus only be a half-brother to the converted 
Chinese. 



XIII. 



The red flag, glorious symbol of man's struggle for 
liberty, is still waving over the high peak of the moun- 
tain, the old cradle of liberty, where the writer did 
breathe the invigorating air of nature's pure atmos- 
phere ; and how fragrant in summer the perfumes of the 
herbs and flowers at home there. 

XIV. 

The red flag, glorious symbol of man's struggle for 
justice and emancipation of people from hereditary as- 
sumption of superiority of a certain class of privileged 



—10— 

dudes, who make a good living with the sword — if not of 
their own, of their servile and misguided subjects. All 
for the sovereign, by the grace of God, or for dear 
fatherland, or his human brother's fatherland, he has 
gone for to conquer and soak with his and his brother's 
blood ; all for glory, Queen or Kaiser. 



XV. 



There, in the lofty mountain peak of old Helvetia, 
also dwells the noble bird, soaring above the valley, 
inhabited by a contented and unpretending people. The 
peace, however, of that people has often been disturbed 
by the screeching, double-headed black enemy, rightly 
called imperialists, in times gone by, but recorded with 
blood in history. 

The red flag, symbol of liberty. 

When the writer sees in the press of our days the slur 
cast on said flag by champion liberty-loving editors, he 
does indeed feel like the founder of socialism in the 
olive grove, as reported. 



XVI. 

That little republic in the center of Europe, founded 
over five hundred years ago by three liberty-loving 
men, and by moonlight, on a lonely spot by the pictu- 
resque lake, with no other witness but the silent moon 
and stars, and the old pyramids, put there by the 
Creator of the universe. 



—11— 

There did the three men swear a solemn oath (enemies 
may call it conspiracy) that they would liberate their 
country from tyranny. That little country is to-day 
often sought as refuge by oppressed men, and even 
royalty itself. With natural gift endowed, it is the 
cradle of old liberty, whose people would be satisfied 
to follow the peaceable calling of industry, using fru- 
gality and moderation. But they are often sorely 
pressed by the black despots, with their cannons and 
many bayonets, carried by great hordes of servile and 
submissive human beings, with enslaved bodies and 
enchained minds. Even to the point that, being afraid 
to cause a great war, with great destruction of life and 
property, she sends men from her hospitable hearth, 
where they had sought refuge when persecuted by their 
own fatherland, because they preferred freedom to 
slavery, and simplicity to royal splendor. 

XVII. 

The reason, also, she acted that way was because she 
knew of her great sister republic in the new world ; 
said land discovered by the great Christopher Columbus, 
where some of her children had settled down, never to 
see their native land any more. And, by the way, they 
are not fugitives from justice, but have cast their lots 
with the natives, having been invited by them to come 
and see their glorious country, with plenty of room for 
more, and thus enjoy the fruit of their own struggle for 
liberty, and the promise of a wise constitution. And a 
goodly number of them, free born sons of Helvetia, are 



—12— 

to-day citizens of the United States, "but also socialists, 
like their associates from other countries of the world. 
Also from Germany have they come, where the iron 
chancellor made their life a torture. Why ? All be- 
cause they had an opinion of their own, and called 
themselves socialists. But lo ! that great man, after 
abusing them, is now stealing their thunder. Such is 
greatness — I should, perhaps, say magnanimity. 

XVIII. 



Even a black cloud which had escaped from Utah, and 
went forth like a storm to threaten the peace of the little 
mother of modern republics, may after all be a blessing 
to the little country with its red flag and white cross in 
the center, and a history dating back to the founder of 
socialism. Nay, further, let us hope for the best, for 
the salvation army is there too, and will, no doubt, in 
due time claim what they have saved. Let us remem- 
ber the sentence of the great poet, Schiller : Ein freier 
Man f iirchte nicht ; aber der Sklave wenn er seine Kette 
bricht. 



XIX. 



The lights of the world — man's intelligence. The 
genius like Jefferson's, father of our constitution — and 
it is a masterpiece of statesmanship — which taught 
the world man's unalienable right to the pursuit of life's 



—13— 

happiness, and equal rights for all to an honorable exis- 
tence. The genius of a Hugo, who had an exalted opin- 
ion of man's rights, and a big heart for suffering or 
oppressed people. Such men have tried to impress on 
the world that civilization may be carried on without 
the shedding of human blood. 



XX. 



The lights of the world — the genius of intelligent 
men — which did build the pyramids of Egypt, and which 
are to-day a wonder to the world and a puzzle even to 
the architects of the loftiest cathedrals, are yet silent 
witnesses of man's intelligence, without dogmas or 
D. D. 



XXI. 



The little red flag, symbol of man's struggle for inde- 
pendence, is to day held up to the world by the little old 
grandmother who raised Liberty. She is sitting by her 
little home, basking in the sunshine, and with pardona- 
ble pride seems to have done her duty to her country 
and people. She thinks and talks by herself of little 
Liberty in the cradle she rocked to sleep mauy a dark 
night, always afraid of the robbers she knew were 
around her dear country, who would like to steal and 
kill her bright eyed daughter, Liberty. She was and 
still is proud of her daughter. She watched her grow 
up with great solicitude. 



— u— 

XXII. 

When a young bride of a brave young man of the 
Alps, the b]ack eagle of Austria, leading an army of 
many thousand armored knights, came to insult once 
more the manhood of the free-born sons of Helvetia^ 
she begged her husband to let her go forth with him to 
meet the arrogant enemy. She donned the garb of a 
mountaineer, and, with a bull's horn for a bugle, the 
little band went forth to meet, in the plain of Sempach, 
their hereditary foe. The deeds of valor of that little 
band, fighting against a superior number of trained 
warriors, is well attested by the chronicler of the day y 
and the sublime heroism of Arnold Winkelried is to-day 
the admiration of young and old, and sung in their 
fete days with solemn awe. There the proud Duke of 
Austria lost his life. But the little band of free men 
won the battle. In vain did the young bride try to stop 
the bleeding of the badly wounded breast of her dear 
husband. She had to return home without him. By 
and by little Liberty was born. 



XXIII. 

Old grandmother, sitting before her humble home, 
holds up that little red rag she kept sacred ; but little 
Liberty when young, to while away her time, sewed a 
white cross in the middle of it, with the white fleece of 
her lamb. Thus was made the bugbear of all tyranny. 



—15— 

XXIV. 

The writer of this thinks it proper, right here, to men- 
tion the following truthful fact : Many years ago, 
while in the city of Geneva, Switzerland, on a celebra- 
tion day, he was one of a long procession going with 
music and song and headed "by the red flag to the 
United States consulate, and then and there gave three 
cheers for the big sister republic. Live and learn. 

XXV. 

Liberty, who had charmed with her natural beauty 
and simplicity her more refined and wealthy neighbor 
to the westward, has left her mother and gone to keep 
house for herself in the beautiful capital of the world. 
It pleases the mother to know that her daughter is safe 
and in strong arms. Some of her offspring have names 
like Chicago and Cincinnati. They are such wild youth, 
yet they are so industrious generally for the common 
good their parent can not help but like them. But they 
play serious pranks. They like to play war. Because 
they had nothing else to do, they did not want to be 
curtailed in their innocent sport, and being too big boys 
to be bulldozed, they just wanted to show what they 
had learned. 

XXVI. 

But it was a very bad thing they had learned, and 
that by thinking and brooding over some injustice done 



—16— 

them. Just like the potentate of the world — go and 

declare war to kill men, and say, " well, that is the law 
of nations." 



XXYII. 

Those big potentates of the world seem to go to war 
just for fun — so say the socialists. Just like our own 
big railroad magnates, Jay Gould, Vanderbilt and the 
like, go to wars of rates just for fun, and to kill the little 
would-be magnates. They are getting too numerous 
and increase too fast, anyway, those little intruders. So 
they say now it is communism, socialism, nihilism and 
anarchism. These are all the "isms" the writer has 
been able to gather in his contracted mind. But worse 
yet, they say it is a new political party, born no one 
seems to know where, or them that ought to know wont 
tell ; and they are here, too, to make competition to the 
old time-honored party, which knows all about states- 
manship. 



XXYIII. 

JSTow, suppose some one would try to argue and per- 
suade Uncle Sam, the stern old quaker who watches 
everybody and every thing, and implore him to study 
socialism, which may after all be no more than any 
other political party — past finding out. Suppose Uncle 
Sam would see to it that our industry is respected 



—17— 

abroad, and not decreed against at the will of an iron 
chancellor. Something must be done. Let us try to 
bribe the old chancellor, and use diplomacy at the same 
time. 

XXIX. 

We will ask New York to furnish a big steamer, made 
of Pennsylvania iron ; we will ask New Jersey to bottle 
up some of her celebrated lightning, flavored with kum- 
mel. Send said present, with Capt. Massachusetts and 
sailors, from Bangor and Portland, and the man that can 
make the longest speech to deliver the address, and 
sisters Virginia, Georgia and Carolinas to present our 
gift, for having sent us Herr Most and Spies, and having 
shown disrespect for the product and industry of Chica- 
go and Cincinnati. Include in the present some Texas 
steers, to impress on said iron man their own argument, 
if those of the socialists wont convince that socialism 
knows no fatherland ; but universal brotherhood of all 
nations is a wish and hope of true socialism. 

XXX. 

But argument wont convince sometimes, and with 
some people not more than with a mule. Uncle Sam 
might also invite Mississippi and Louisiana to send a 
bag full of them celebrated singers who grow there and 
sing at night, and are, on account of their monotonous 
and persistent singing, a dread to nervous spinsters. 



—18— 

And with her grace, Miss Cardinal, who knows all about 
sound theology, in charge of said bag, which she is to- 
empty surreptitiously while the great presentation 
speech is made, and the chancellor is impatiently eyeing^ 
said bottled-up lightning. Just think of it. The chan- 
cellor, after being fully convinced by the presentation 
speech and bottled-up lightning, and sung to sleep by 
Miss Cardinal's singers, for her set has a grievance too, 
and thus will she get even with him. Thus the world 
may await the result of our novel diplomacy, and we 
may rest in peace. Thus will all armies and materials 
of destruction of life and property be made superflous. 



XXXI. 

A light of the world, as represented by the Bartholdi 
statue of liberty, with thirty-eight brilliant stars in one 
constellation. The big orb, the only great light for all 
living beings, will shine as heretofore, and long after 
Kaiser and Pope, with their rescript and bull, will have 
j>aid their due to the inexorable demand of fate. 



XXXII. 

"All reform, whether political, social or religious,, 
had to be bought with the blood of our ancestors," 
is the motto of Eugene Sue, the great writer, in his 
"Mystery of the People." It may not be quite correct,, 
but cold historical facts go far towards sustaining it. 



—19— 

In his memorandum in the great work, when speaking 
of great events in this world, he says : " When the 
founder of communism would express an opinion, the 
demagogue of that time would cry to the people and 
excite their fear, as being a great evil to the nation and 
people." 

A blasphemous presumption of a pretender, inciting 
to riot and bloodshed, come to pull down the great edi- 
fice erected by the hard toil of thousands, and cemented 
with the blood of generations vanished. 

Crucify him ! Crucify him ! was the outcry of the 
Law and Order League of that time, and so they did. 
Nothing they did build on that human sacrifice, cer- 
tainly nothing that will even show the faintest shadow 
of its existence when the great orb appears again to 
light another day, in the age of reason. 



xxxur. 

The writer is well aware, because it is a social ques- 
tion now upon us, and not to be dismissed like a poten- 
tate his servant with a wave of his hand or a shrug of 
his shoulder, that such inequality as paying one man 
one dollar for his hard day's work, and getting but three 
or four days as a week's work, and paying by the same 
corporation $25,000 a year, as solicitor, to an ex-judge 
of the Supreme Court, who abandoned justice to serve 
a corporation, and to be a scheming legal light in a 
court of equity, are, indeed, of sufficient importance to 
set a thinking mind to consider the situation as serious, 



—20— 

if for no other cause but justice. For one pecuniarily less 
fortunate, but entitled to equal right before a court, the 
chances are indeed very slim. Yet I will not be a pessi- 
mist, and raise an unnecessary alarm, that not being 
my object. 

XXXIV. 

Whether the man who fills out a wash out after a 
flood, or fastens a loose spike on the track; the men 
who build bridges and run on top of the moving cars ; 
the man who is always on the look-out for danger ahead, 
at the same time directing the great iron horse of com- 
merce and progress, and the man at his side firing up 
the great giant ; the many thousands of workingmen y 
tradesmen, miners and farmers, and their wives, work- 
ing hard to raise something to sustain the life of all, are 
more useful to public weal than the high-paid legal tal- 
ent, the writer will leave to public opinion. 

One thing the writer knows sure : They are with us,, 
like the preacher; and hear to stay, like the peniten- 
tiary. That being another social question and interest- 
ing subject of cold facts which stares us grimly in the 
face, and will tax the wisdom of the wisest legislature 
to regulate but never to solve. 



XXXV. 

It is also in the province of socialism to discuss, and 
publicly, such vital questions, and if for no other cause 



—21— 

but the one so often heard of, as "A government of the 
people, by the people and for the people." Nay, it is a 
duty for justice sake to discuss cases like the following : 
That a poor old Italian was duly convicted in New Or- 
leans for counterfeiting, through perjury of a detective, 
when not stated, the incentive for the crime being a 
reward of $1,000, and the poor fellow was sentenced to 
fifteen years in the penitentiary of Charleston, West 
Virginia, if remembered right. 

XXXVI. 

Now, if said case be true, which can easily be found 
out, the writer will ask, in the name of justice and the 
good sense of the people of the United States, and this 
is my open petition to the President of the United States 
and Congress to do something for the unfortunate 
victim, which might be a permanent employment in the 
government service, or a commensurate pension for life, 
for such are the fundamental principles of socialism 
and humanity. And to show some practical socialism, 
as taught by its founder, the Nazareen, the first $10.00 
received from the sale of this work will be paid through 
the agency of the Masonic Fraternity, being a benevo- 
lent association, to said unfortunate, if living. 

XXXVII. 

The writer will also include in his petition to the 
President and ^Representatives of the people, and in the 



—22— 

name of justice, who I hope will open her eyes and rec- 
ognize liberty, equality and fraternity, and so in the 
name of our constitution may release from durance 
any communist, socialist, anarchist, so-called, and mor- 
mons, and thus show to the world that truth stands on 
its own foundation. Although a traitor and a spy for- 
feit their lives according to the laws of nations, let us 
show the world that we, too, have a constitution and un- 
derstand the laws of humanity. 

XXXYIII. 

Reader, we will dismiss any gloomy foreboding my 
writing may have made ; we will forget the stormy past, 
red flag and sufferings for awhile. Let the children that 
have stayed with the grandmother and her red flag 
sing their national song : "Heil dir Helvetia," and we 
will sing ours, " Hail thee, Columbia." Both have the 
same tune. I have heard, nay, sung with the sons of 
the Alps, in their celebration commemorative of their 
ancestors struggle for independence from the yoke of 
tyranny. I have heard it sung here ten years ago, when 
the nation celebrated its first centennial. They both 
sound alike to the listening world. How beautiful, two 
nations so far apart, speaking different languages, but 
singing the same tune in harmony. 

XXXIX. 

The writer would wish a day as the 1st of May or 
September set apart as a day of universal brotherhood, 



—23— 

and we would invite all people on earth to join us in 
that feast of love and good will to all. Yes, even our 
enemy; we would beg to forget for that day any differ- 
ence of opinion which may exist before or after. Let 
the red cross in the white banner, as it already is for a 
good purpose, be an international emblem for joy or 
sorrow and peace, yes, peace. 



XL. 



Let us remember the memorable words of a distin- 
guished citizen, too well known to need be named, who 
had to draw the sword and lead armies to battle, to 
solve a great social question, when he expressed his 
wish in these few words : " Let us have peace." 

An International Peace League was also founded at 
Geneva, about 1860. The distinguished name of a Sen- 
ator of the United States was on its roll of membership, 
which I remember well having read about. 

But he was like all others, only a voluntary member, 
and representative of his amazingly fast-growing na- 
tion, the wonder and admiration of all potentates, 
watching with envy the rapid growth and brilliancy of 
this light of the world. 



XLI. 



It is a sincere hope of the writer, and he would like 
to see it soon realized, say on the Fourth of July, and 



—24— 

has not the President the constitutional right to execute 
it? — the release of all political, social or religious en- 
thusiasts from durance. In the name of peace, I would 
then ask for a General Jubilee on our Fourth of July, 
but not before all above-mentioned prisoners be re- 
leased. Even a spy, if there is one among them, be not 
excluded. Let this nation show to the world that we 
can afford to be magnanimous to our enemy, and that 
we will only punish them with contempt. Let us not 
forget that some parties, inimical to this form of gov- 
ernment, would like to bring this nation into disrepute 
among the people on earth. 

XLII. 

The writer is not personally acquainted with any of 
the above-mentioned proscribed parties or prosecuted 
persons — never attended any of their meetings. All 
the writer knows is what he read in the papers — sup- 
posed truthful reports about them. I will ask in the 
kindest spirit one favor of the officers, who are of the 
people, please do not oppress unnecessarily any one, 
and surely not to please the enemy of our great repub- 
lic. In the hope that this work will be received in the 
same spirit it was written, of truth, justice, moderation 
and, I hope, conciliation, I will close with a few words 
on arbitration. 



XLIII. 

Arbitration— the great hobby of some just now, that 
to solve the great labor problem. The panacea for 



—25— 

the workingman against misery. A scheme well con- 
ceived, but already captured by sly operators. Arbi- 
tration, and the Pope as arbitrator. The Pope of Rome, 
Vicar of Christ, he styles himself. Whether the Christ 
spoken of in the Bible, I do not pretend to know. But 
if so, just compare the original, as represented by 
artists, as a very unsuccessful pretender, with a crown 
of thorns ; and the modern representative, who loves 
pomp and treasure. He who does not meddle in poli- 
tics when the Italians are going to vote for their Member 
of Parliament ; he to arbitrate between a sovereign and 
the people ; between men who do the menial work in 
this world and a Wall street prince, a cattle king and 
land baron, a railroad magnate and other wealthy corpo- 
rations. Indeed, where would the brotherly feeling in- 
cline to ? Think of it. One might just as well try and 
get the best terms possible consistent with manhood be- 
forehand, and thus save his hard earned penny for his 
family, and trust to his lucky stars that he will not be 
dealt with like the founder of communism, Jesus 
Christ. 



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